Short documentary about the effort by Joey Travolta and crew will be shown

SATURDAY, JULY 9TH at 2PM

ADULTS/YOUTH: $22     SENIORS/VETERANS: $20

Join us for an afternoon of fantastic bands, all to support our veterans!

Organizers Darlyn Phillips and Tony Archimedes shared the following about the concert:

“For many years musicians have been coming to support the Stand Down on the Delta for homeless veterans. They come without pay from 10 AM in the morning to 10 PM at night. We are sure that they love doing the music as a labor of love type of thing, but we felt that the musicians themselves really needed to be recognized.

About a year ago we met Joey Travolta, John’s brother, who is a film director and teaches film producing and acting to under privileged people with autism. We told him about the Stand Down and the musicians and he agreed to do a documentary on it. (See related article)

On July 9, we will be featuring some of the musicians who play at the Stand Downs, as well as showing the short documentary. Three bands will take the stage and play from 2 to 4 PM, alternately. This is sort of a stepping off point that brings awareness about a program we are going to be spearheading called Music Heals.

Please pass the word on and it would be great to see you there!!! Take care and keep the music alive! Our band is The Groove Room.”

ABOUT THE BANDS:

The Illusions came together as young men of this area at the age of 14 or 15 years old. The boys grew up together and played until they were in their late teens when life would take them down a different path. The young men entered the military–one went into the US Army and would later receive orders and serve time as a combat veteran. Joe Martinez saw combat and served his time in Vietnam. Richard Rivas, the group’s band leader and drummer, was drafted into the US Army. Richard Rivas has many interesting stories to tell. Richard leads the group into many R&B Classics and is a huge hit on the dance floor. Tony Archimedes joined the US Marine Corp to protect his country and to serve in Viet Nam, but instead was sent to Pearl Harbor, HI to play in the Marine Band. Each time he requested to go to Vietnam, Tony was told he was needed in the band. His entire unit who were sent to Vietnam were killed. He will always remember his men. Tony plays many instruments and has taught hundreds of young musicians in the Bay area, many of them going on to receive awards and scholarships. Mitch McCarrie served his time in the US Naval Reserves in Alameda on the Flight Line and continues to enjoy playing for his fellow veterans. Mitch plays a mean guitar.

The Groove Room Band specializes in jazz and crossover tunes and Bossa Nova, although they play a variety of genres. The band features Tony Archimedes on keys, and Bay Area bassist Michael Fourie with his unusual and killer electric bass. Originally from Canada, Michael continues to perform for the troops at the Stand Down on the Delta and a variety of other events as well as Bay Area wide in a variety of venues. The trumpet player for the Groove Room, Walter Barr directed for Dizzy Gillespie and many other legends. The drummer, Brett King Cosby, is well-known and has played for many top bands across the country. Darlyn Phillips is the band’s leader and lead singer.

Areas of Santana features guitarist Ray Cepeda. He has recorded with many Bay Area artists and more, and has recently recorded with Chepito Areas. The two travel throughout the U.S. bringing awareness and inspiration to audiences throughout. Chepito, legacy of the Santana Band, is a motivator not only in the energy and vibe of his music but in the passion of his art and love of life. Cepeda is an educator teaching mostly Spanish, electronics and music for the ROP classes in the Eden area of Hayward.

Phillips initiated the documentary which was produced by Joey Travolta. The ‘Music Heals’ documentary, of the Music Heals Program for DVG’s Stand Down on the Delta for Homeless Veterans, features many of the veterans who come to the Stand Downs to play for their fellow veterans. The program was started by Phillips to promote awareness and support for veterans coming back into their musical arenas after injury or trauma and to inspire, to encourage playing, to regain lost skills, or develop new ones.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

• San Francisco county’s citizens have lost the most weight over 10 years (they are 1% less obese).

• Imperial county’s citizens have gained the most.

• Infographic shows California’s biggest losers (of lbs).

At the end of NBC’s first ‘The Biggest Loser’ season, the winning contestant had lost 122 pound (37% of his body weight). A study of contestants’ weight loss over a 6-year period after the show found that they had kept off 30% if their original bodyweight. Unfortunately, when it comes to America’s obesity crisis, life does not imitate reality TV. Warnings about America’s obesity epidemic are nothing new…

Statistics show that a sharp increase in obesity rates began in the 1980s, yet public health campaigns since have, it seems, not resulted in reductions in people’s waistlines. That is, according to a comprehensive study by BarBend.com, the world’s leading strength training resource and news outlet, who identified obesity levels over the past 10 years in counties across The Golden State.

The analysis of data available by County Health Rankings compared each county’s rate of obesity in 2012 to newly releases figures in 2022. The study found that of California’s 58 counties, just one has trended towards decreased levels of obesity (and six have remained the same) – this includes the good people of Antioch (Contra Costa County), who have not gained weight over the past decade. The other 51 counties have in fact, got fatter.

A closer look at the data…

The top 5 California counties that have fared best over the past 10 years:

1) San Francisco: 1% less obese.

2) Contra Costa: flat.

3) Sacramento: flat.

4) Santa Clara: flat.

5) Shasta: flat.

The bottom 5 California counties that have fared worst over the past 10 years:

54) Fresno: 9% more obese.

55) Santa Cruz: 9% more obese.

56) Monterey: 10% more obese.

57) Tehama: 10% more obese.

58) Imperial: 11% more obese.

Infographic showing obesity levels among California’s biggest cities and towns

If there was a silver lining to have come out of the research, it was that when compared nationally, California’s trend towards obesity is not as pronounced as in other states. In fact, Californians (albeit a minority) emerged as the 5^th biggest losers (of lbs).

A look at the national figures…

The saying that ‘everything is bigger in Texas’ likely originated as a reference to the enormity of the state’s geographical area. However, it could also be applied to the state’s obesity levels. When analyzed nationally, four Texas counties occupy the bottom five for growth in obesity levels. These are:

3,139) Presidio (TX): 20% more obese than in 2012.

3,138) Pennington (SD): 19%

3,137) Hidaldo (TX): 18%

3,136) Starr (TX): 18%

3,135) Zavala (TX): 16%

Four out of the five biggest losers (those who have become less obese over the past decade) are in South Dakota (the only other being in Alaska):

1) Shannon (SD): 10% less obese than in 2012.

2) Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan (AK): 8%

3) Edmunds (SD): 5%

4) Hyde (SD): 5%

5) Roberts (SD): 5%

“The data clearly shows that, despite the warnings from public health officials, our lifestyles are becoming more sedentary and as a nation, we are becoming more obese,” says Max Whiteside of BarBend.com. “Obesity increases the risk of developing many diseases, and this is a crisis which is trending in the wrong direction.”

The Leapfrog Group’s biannual safety report gives Kaiser Permanente hospitals top scores for limiting patient injuries, reducing medical errors, and preventing infections 

By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Antioch, Calif., May 23, 2022 – The Leapfrog Group recognized Kaiser Permanente’s Antioch Medical Center with a top score of “A” in its biannual Hospital Safety Grades report, which examined and graded nearly 3,000 hospitals throughout the United States.

A total of 16 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals received “A” grades including: Antioch, Fremont, Fresno, Manteca, Modesto, Redwood City, Roseville, San Francisco, San Jose, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South San Francisco, Vacaville, Vallejo and Walnut Creek. Additionally, Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Oakland, Richmond, Sacramento, and San Leandro received “B” grades.

“Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do here at the Antioch Medical Center,” said Chris Boyd, senior vice president and area manager of Kaiser Permanente’s Diablo Service Area. “We are honored to be recognized as a leader in patient safety, which is a testament to the steadfast commitment of our physicians, nurses and staff members.”

“What an honor to receive an ‘A’ from the Leapfrog Group,” said Sharon Mowat, physician in chief of the Antioch Medical Center. “This aligns with our mission of preventive care and keeping our patients safe. Our integration allows us to build systems to do the right thing the first time, and it and allows us to catch issues early.”

More about the Leapfrog Safety Grades

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, released its Hospital Safety Grades after examining publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors and infections at U.S. hospitals. The report includes data collected by national health care organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Scores are calculated based on more than 30 publicly available measures, and hospitals are then assigned A, B, C, D or F grades for their safety records. The grades are released as a free resource to help patients and their families make informed health care decisions.

For more information and a complete list of the hospital safety grades, visit Leapfrog.

 

By Contra Costa Health Services

There continues to be a shortage of infant formula nationwide due to supply chain issues and a recall of infant formula due to bacterial contamination in the Abbott manufacturing plant in Michigan. The federal government is currently working on strategies to increase production of formula and help families access existing stock.

Compared to other states California is faring better, but the shortages are still of concern.

Babies need the right balance of nutrients- not too much or too little of anything- to grow and be healthy. It is important for your baby’s health to use products that meet federal standards to ensure the formula is safe and free of harmful bacteria.

During this challenging time, the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley encourage parents and families to:

• If you are currently breastfeeding, continue if possible. We recognize this optionmay not be viable for everyone. If someone is partially breastfeeding, they may consider reaching out to a lactation care provider (in-person or by telehealth) to help ensure that they maintain or increase their milk supply by breastfeeding more.
• Talk to your child’s doctor about substituting formula brands. For most babies, if their regular brand of formula is not currently available, it is OK to substitute with a similar version. Also consult your child’s pediatrician if your baby requires a specialized formula, (therapeutic or metabolic formula for an infant with a medical condition requiring different caloric or nutrient content), before making any substitution. Your pediatrician may recommend a milk bank referral. If you have questions about which formula is acceptable, contact your child’s pediatrician or your local WIC agency. (In Contra Costa County, call (800) 414-4WIC.)
• Avoid making your own formula at home, watering down formula to make it last longer, using expired formula, using cow, goat, or plant-based milk for formula, or giving toddler formula to infants. Doing so can reduce the amount of nutrients a baby receives and can lead to potential serious health complications. If no other options are available to feed your baby, children over six months may be eligible for whole, pasteurized, cow’s milk, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is not ideal and should not be done for more than one week. Talk to your pediatrician if you need to give your baby cow’s milk for a week to see if this option is appropriate for your child.
• Apply to the WIC program. About half of all births in California are in low-income families who qualify for the WIC program, and income-eligible clients can receive a WIC card and use it to purchase a limited amount of formula at participating retail stores. WIC offices are staffed by individuals with close ties to their communities. Existing WIC clients should use their benefits for formula earlier in the month in case they run into shortages near the end of their benefit period.
• Find out what resources exist in the community and share those resources widely. If you see infant formula in stock when you’re shopping, make it known within your network.

Health officials will continue to monitor the shortage and provide updates as new information is available.

WHAT: As part of its Path to Zero initiative, Contra Costa Health (CCH) will be giving away free COVID test kits in front of a neighborhood supermarket in Antioch in an area hard hit by the pandemic. This is one of a series of such giveaways hosted by CCH. More than 700 test kits were given out at a giveaway at the same Antioch location at another event earlier this week. Educational information about COVID vaccines and accessing free treatment through the County’s advice nurse line will also be provided. CCH recommends that people make home-testing kits a staple of their medicine cabinets, so they have them on hand when needed.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 17, 2022, 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

WHERE: In front of Cielo Market, 1818 A Street, Antioch

Will wait for November vote on referendum of statewide ban; approves six-year contract extension for city attorney on 5-0 vote

By Allen D. Payton

After much outcry from tobacco retailers in Antioch, the city council on Tuesday night April 26, 2022, agreed to suspend their previously approved ban on the sale of some tobacco and vaping products through December 1. No vote was taken, so the ban remains in place, but city staff was directed to suspend enforcement.

In addition, the council voted unanimously to approve an unusual six-year extension to the contract with Smith. Normal contracts with city attorneys and managers are three-to-five years in length. City Attorney contract extension ACC042622

Tobacco Retail Ban Grace Period

The ban was approved on a 3-2 vote on Feb. 22, with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker opposing. Tobacco Retail Sales Ban ACC022222

It was in response to an effort by Antioch youth seeking to keep flavored tobacco products from being sold to and used by young people. The Council previously considered this topic at its May 25, 2021, meeting during a detailed presentation of a survey by the Youth Tobacco Advocacy Policy Project (YTAPP). The ban went into effect on April 7, this year. YTAPP Presentation ACC052521

According to the city staff report for the April 26 council meeting agenda item, “Since passing the ordinance, the City Council has heard public comment from tobacco retailers and businesses selling tobacco products expressing the desire for a grace period temporarily suspending the implementation of new restrictions on sales of tobacco or tobacco products with characterizing flavor, electronic cigarettes, cigars, and little cigars to enable businesses to sell their existing inventory and transition into compliance with the new ordinance.”

One of the complaints from the retailers was that the city ordinance didn’t create a level playing field with those in neighboring cities. The council was asked to wait until after a November vote on a referendum on the state law passed in 2020 banning flavored tobacco products. According to the L.A. Times the statewide ban was suspended in January 2021 after the referendum by the tobacco industry qualified for the ballot.

Another complaint was that the ordinance didn’t give the retailers time to sell the products they already had in stock. A third complaint was that the retailers weren’t notified by the City of the impending ban or suspension of enforcement prior to either council meeting.

According to a report by the FDA, “Flavors are added to tobacco products to improve flavor and taste by reducing the harshness, bitterness, and astringency. However, the use of flavors in tobacco products raises important public health questions. For example, FDA is aware of early reports that some flavors could help adult cigarette smokers switch to potentially less harmful tobacco products. On the flip side, research has shown that sweet-tasting flavors are particularly appealing to youth and young adults.

In 2020, non-Hispanic Black high school students reported past 30-day cigar smoking at levels twice as high as their White counterparts. Nearly 74% of youth aged 12-17 who use cigars say they smoke cigars because they come in flavors they enjoy. Among youth who have ever tried a cigar, 68% of cigarillo users and 56% of filtered cigar users report that their first cigar was a flavored product. Moreover, in 2020, more young people tried a cigar every day than tried a cigarette.”

During the April 26 meeting the council gave direction to City Attorney Thomas L. Smith to prepare an amendment to the tobacco ordinance implementing a grace period until December 1, to focus on community education and suspend enforcement until the passage of the amendment to the ordinance.

Council Comments

District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock spoke in favor of the grace period to applause from the audience saying, “I’m looking for the businesses to make a real, concerted effort to make sure none of these flavored, menthol cigarettes get into the hands of kids. I hope there’s something you can do education-wise.”

“I was not in for this from the start,” Barbanica stated. “I didn’t support it. I think it harms our local businesses. Please continue to police yourself. But I’m in support of staying this until at least Dec. 1st until we see what the state does. I think this was an overreach on our part and we need to be consistent with state law and not harm our local businesses.”

While Mayor Lamar Thorpe said he could support the grace period he also stated, “But I will not be changing my mind irrespective of what the voters of California do. I’m sticking to what I originally did.”

District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson said she could also support the grace period but wanted to focus on a community education component. “Not sure about Dec. 1, but I can support the grace period.”

“I heard people say, ‘Big Tobacco, Big Tobacco’,” Torres-Walker said, speaking in support of the grace period. “This is not Big Tobacco sitting out here. They’re family-owned businesses.”

Advisory Notice Sent April 25

The following notice was sent by the City to businesses via email on Monday, April 25 providing details on the ban:

“ADVISORY NOTICE:

FOR BUSINESSES ENGAGED IN RETAIL SALES OF TOBACCO AND
VAPING PRODUCTS FOR USE WITH TOBACCO

This notice is to inform local businesses of recent changes to City ordinances impacting retail sales within the City of Antioch. The intent of the referenced policies is to provide a healthy, safe environment for all City residents by reducing the adverse effects of cigarettes and related tobacco products, especially as it relates to youth.

As of April 7, 2022, the following changes to the City of Antioch Municipal Code will become effective:
1. The number of new tobacco retailers shall be restricted.

2. Tobacco retailers are prohibited from selling or possessing tobacco products with the characteristic of being “flavored”, including but not limited to mint, menthol or chocolate.
3. New businesses with tobacco sales and vaping products for use with tobacco shall maintain a minimum distance of at least 1,000 feet from schools and similar uses.
4. Electronic smoking devices and e-cigarettes for sale for use with tobacco or tobacco sales are banned in all retail establishments.
5. A minimum package size for little cigars (cigarillos) is restricted to twenty and cigars is restricted to six.
6. A minimum price of $10 per package, including applicable fees and taxes, is set for tobacco products, including cigarettes, little cigars (cigarillos) or cigars.

The City respectfully requests your cooperation. On a going forward basis, City of Antioch’s Code Enforcement Division will address compliance matters.

For additional background information, see items F and G at https://www.antiochca.gov/fc/government/agendas/CityCouncil/2022/agendas/030822/030822.pdf
Should you have questions regarding retail sales of tobacco and vaping products for use with tobacco, please contact the City of Antioch Community Development Department, Code Enforcement Division at 925.779.7042.”

Retailers who sell the products complained about the impact on their businesses and asked the council to wait until the vote on a November ballot measure was decided, that would create a statewide ban. The retailers wanted a level playing field. The council members agreed.”

The enforcement of the ordinance is currently suspended. The council is expected to vote on the grace period during their next meeting on Tuesday, May 10.